Try Virus Total

Thank you, will try it.

Any others are welcome.

There used to be one called ComputerCops that was great, but they had to close the site due to funds, I think.

If you already have an anti-virus program installed, you should be able to right-click on the file, and get a menu that includes the option to scan it.

I did a whole computer scan with Bitdefender and Malwarebytes and they found nothing. I’m in touch with Virus Total now, so hopefully they’ll be able to tell me something. The scan on their site gave just 1 positive out of 56 scans with antivirus-ware, so that’s good.

Thank you for the suggestion; I did just try that, and again, it was negative. What’s driving me nuts is that under the “Date Modified” column, it’s keeping time with my computer’s clock, like it’s running, but it’s not an .exe file, it’s a .trace file and it’s in my Windows folder.

Have you tried using your Task Manager to end the process that’s running the file?

Yes, I did that yesterday, and again just now when I read your suggestion. But I don’t see it there.

Perhaps you’re computer savvy enough that you can tell me something. Here’s what happened 2 days ago:

My computer rebooted itself while I was using it for mindless games. As soon as it came back up, I ran a Bitdefender vulnerability scan, which was clean. Then I ran a Malwarebytes scan and it was also clean. Meanwhile, I looked in C drive to see if anything had been modified that day and within the past 15 minutes. In my Windows folder I found this, which had been modified exactly when my computer rebooted itself:

ZAM_Guard.krnl.trace typed exactly like that. I can’t find anything definitive when I do a search on google. The word Trace makes me nervous. Plus, it’s running; by that I mean that the time that it was modified has been running and keeps the same time as my computer clock.

The only other info I have is that under file type it says TRACE, and under Date Created it says 10/11/2017. Maybe it’s nothing malicious.

Are the processes listed in alphabetically in your Task Manager?

If so, ZAM should be listed near the bottom.

Edit: listed in alphabetically….

It has them in 3 groups, Apps, Background processes, and Windows processes. Everything is alphabetical and there are no “z” s. I think I’m just going to have to accept that it’s on my computer and is running and hope like hell it’s a windows process or something. Virus Total hasn’t responded in 24 hours after the initial contact and I don’t know what other site could answer whether it’s malicious or not. Ironic. . .the entire internet at my disposal and I can’t find a simple yes or no answer. I think sometimes there’s too much info to sift through and much of it contradicts other info.

It’s possible that the file was there all along and was triggered to start up by the computer rebooting and it’s doing what it’s supposed to do. <<shrugs>> I dunno. Thank you for your ideas, I appreciate your attempts to help.

Some games run background processes to detect cheaters. Just something to be aware of if you install games. I’m not saying this particular file is one of those (I have no idea).

@gorillapaws LOL I responded to you yesterday but must not have clicked ‘Answer’! I don’t play any of those huge, involved games so it wouldn’t be that. Also, I download almost nothing. But thanks for the idea, anyway.